Study: Physical Therapy Beneficial to Critically Ill Patients

According to a new systematic review of the evidence base for exercise in critically ill patients, physical therapy in the ICU appears to confer significant benefit in improving quality of life, physical function, and peripheral and respiratory muscle strength; increasing ventilator-free days; and decreasing hospital and ICU stay.

"It is apparent that survivors of critical illness experience poor physical, functional, and cognitive outcomes often lasting for years," said the authors of a paper published in Critical Care Medicine, noting that this condition, "post intensive care syndrome," and the related "intensive care unit acquired weakness" can result in major impacts on the health and productivity of survivors and caregivers, availability of hospital beds, and health care costs.

"Early physical therapy in intensive care in increasingly recommended, and this review has found preliminary evidence that there are beneficial effects," the study said.